Envelop-fastener.



No. 788.988l K PATENTED MAY z, 1905. M. ALBBA.

BNVBLOP PASTENER.

APPLIGATIN FILED SEPT. 15, 1904.

lNITED STATES Patented May 2, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

ENVELOP-FASTENER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. v788,988, dated May 2, 1905.

Application filed September l5, 1904. Serial No. 224,553.

To rtl?, whom, t Uta/y concern:

Be it known that I, MARY ALBEA, a citizen of the United States, residing at Waco, in the county of McLennan and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Envelop-Fasten ers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in envelop-fasteners, and has for its object the provision of a lock for securing an envelop or package against intrusion or unauthorized tampering therewith.

Another' object of the invention is to provide a small, compact, and efiicient locking means which will be strong and durable and easy of manipulation.

With these objects in View the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts, as hereinafter described in the specilication, more fully pointed out in the claims, and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which-d Figure 1 is a back view of an open envelop having my lock applied. Fig. 2 is a back View of a sealed envelop with my improved lock thereon. Fig. 3 shows an enlarged plan of the two members of the locking device as they appear before being bent to shape for application to an envelop, and Fig. 4 is an exaggerated viewin central vertical section of Fig. 2.

I take an envelop, as A, of ordinary construction and apply to the under side of the Hap B and the inside back portion of the envelop the strengthening-pieces C and D, respectively. These strengthening-pieces may be of canvas or other stiiil fabric and are attached to the envelop by mucilage, glue, or other adhesive substance. These canvas or fabric pieces form the base foreach of the two members 1 and 2 of the lock.

The lock members 1 and 2 are composed of light but strong metal, preferably aluminium, and are each bent up at three of their edges on the dotted lines 4 and 5 in Fig. 3. When the bent-up edges 6 and 7 have been turned at an angle to the plane of the lock members and said members applied to their respective portions of the envelop, a space is provided between the members and the envelop portions to which they are attached for a purpose to be described.

The lock members 1 and 2 may be stamped out of sheet metal and are formed at their three sides with extensions or lugs, as 8 on member 1 and 9 on member 2. The adjoining sides 10 and 11 of the members are formed with locking extensions or lugs 12 and 13, respectively.

The ap B of the envelop and its strengthening fabric C are provided with slits 14, located complementary to the extensions 8 on member 1, and the back portion of the envelop and its strengthening fabric D are similarly slitted at 15 for the reception and retention of the lugs 9 on the member 2.

In addition to the locking lugs or pieces 12 and 13 a` further locking means is provided by the employment of loop 16 and clasp 17. The loop and clasp are preferably formed of copper wire bent to shape and are turned outwardly at their ends. The ends 18 of the loop are inserted in the slits 19 in member 1, and the ends 20 of the clasp are inserted in the slits-21 of member 2, the ends in each case being retained in the chambers or spaces formed between the members of the lock and the envelp portions to which they are attached.

To lock the envelop, the two extensions 12 and 13 are bent over each other, as in Fig. 4. Then the wire clasp is passed under and through the loop, turned back on itself, and then pressed at against the envelop.

The lock thus described will be efficient in non-gummed envelops when used in mails to carry other than first-class mail-matter.

When first-class mail-matter is to be inclosed and carried in the envelop or package, the extensions 12 and 13 are locked, the clasp and loop fastened as described, and then sealing-wax may be applied, as at 25, Fig. 4, covering portions of the clasp and the turned ends of the extensions 12 and 13.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. The combination with an envelop having a strengthening fabric on its iiap, slits in said iiap and fabric, and a similar slitted fabric on IOO the rear portion of the envelop, of two lock members having lugs thereon passed through the complementary slits, eaoh of said look members having turned-in edges forming Chambers, slits in each member, a loop having its ends passed through the slits in one member, and aolasp having its ends passed through the slits in the other member; and a Complementary extension on each section adapted to be folded together.

2. The combination With an envelop having a strengthening member on its Hap, slits in said flap and member, and a similar slitted strengthening member on the rear portion of the envelop, of two metallic look-sections having lugs struck from the edges thereof and passed throughthe complementary slits, each o't' said look-sections having turned-in edges forming chambers, slits in each section, awire loop having its ends passed through the slits 2O in the envelop-section, and a wire clasp having its ends held in the slits in the ldap-section, and a complementary lug on each section adapted to be folded together.

In testimony whereof I aix my signature in 25 presence of two witnesses.

MARY ALBEA. Witnesses:

V. Gr. LA-wsoN, J. F. ADAMS. 

